Patricia Wilson Cooper who recently retired as a Nursing Assistant, who had a 34-year career at the Canandaigua VA working in many patient care treatment areas

All week, nurses at the Canandaigua VA and Rochester VA Outpatient Clinic are being honored to mark their special achievements. VA, the nation’s largest single employer of nurses, joined the American Nurses Association (ANA) in honoring America’s nurses “dedicated to saving lives and maintaining the health of millions of Veterans and their families,” stated an announcement.

ANA designated 2017 as the "Year of the Healthy Nurse." This year’s nurses recognition theme is “Nursing: the Balance of Mind, Body, and Spirit.” VA health care facilities throughout the country are paying tribute to the VA’s 90,000 nurses.

“On the battlefield, the military pledges to leave no one behind,” stated Canandaigua VA Medical Center’s Nurse Executive Lisa Lehning. “As a nation, we pledge that when they return home, we leave no Veteran behind. A VA nurse lends fidelity to that pledge.”

Recognizing nurses this month honors Florence Nightingale, the founder of nursing as a modern profession.